Zak Bagans

Birth Name: Zachary Alexander Bagans

Place of Birth: Washington, D.C., U.S.

Date of Birth: April 5, 1977

Ethnicity: Italian (paternal grandmother), Irish, German, French-Canadian, Scottish, at least 1/64 Chippewa [Ojibwe] Native American

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Zak Bagans is an American paranormal investigator, actor, television personality, museum operator, and author. He is the main host of Travel Channel series Ghost Adventures. He was raised in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

Zak’s paternal grandfather was Clarence Willis Bagans (the son of Henry C. Bagans and Martha M. A. Wenzel). Zak’s grandfather Clarence was born in Michigan. Henry was born in New York, to parents from Germany, Henry Bagans and Justina/Justine Glonacki. Martha was born in Michigan, the daughter of parents from Germany, Rudolph Wenzel and Louise Isabel.

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Zak’s paternal grandmother was Grace Gorno (the daughter of Nick/Nicholas Gorno and Josephine Conflitti). Grace was born in Michigan, to Italian parents, from Campoli Appennino, Frosinone, Lazio. Josephine was the daughter of Vincenzo Conflitti and Francesa Mastrianni.

Zak’s maternal grandfather was Joseph Michael Kilroy, Sr. (the son of Joseph M. Kilroy and Mary Ann Schultheis). Zak’s grandfather Joseph was born in Maryland. Zak’s great-grandfather Joseph was the son of Catherine Lindsay, whose parents were Irish. Zak’s great-grandmother Mary Ann was the daughter of Albert W. Schultheis, who was of German descent, and of Mary A. Scally, whose parents were Irish, with roots in Roscommon.

Zak’s maternal grandmother was Edythe/Edith M. Grow (the daughter of Neil Harris Paul Grow and Dolly Jane/B. Branchaud/Brandchaud). Edythe was born in Minnesota. Neil was born in Minnesota, the son of Adolphus Edwin Grow/Groulx and Edith Amanda Ross, whose own mother was Canadian. Dolly was born in the White Earth Reservation, Minnesota, the daughter of William Branchaud and Viola M. Armstrong.

Zak’s great-great-grandmother Viola Armstrong was the granddaughter of Benjamin Green Armstrong, whose father was Scottish, and of Charlotte Ma Dwa Gwan Buffalo. Charlotte was born, c. 1830, in Wisconsin, to Chippewa (Ojibwe) Native American parents, Chief Moses/Moyses Medweigwan Buffalo and Magdalena or Ne wa da no kwa do kwe/Me Wa Dan A Kwead Okwe.

Sources: Obituary of Zak’s paternal grandfather, Clarence Willis Bagans –

Obituary of Zak’s paternal grandmother, Grace (Gorno) Bagans –

Obituary of Zak’s mother –

Genealogy of Zak’s maternal grandmother, Edythe/Edith M. Grow –

Obituary of Zak’s maternal grandmother, Edythe/Edith M. (Grow) Kilroy Wilhelm –

Zak’s maternal great-great-great-great-grandmother, Charlotte Ma Dwa Gwan Buffalo Armstrong, on the 1880 U.S. Census –

Information about Zak’s maternal great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, Chief Moses/Moyses Medweigwan Buffalo –